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Which trim level and why?

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ejpumpkin

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Discussion starter · #1 ·
Which trim level did you get (or planning to)? I was set on the EX-L with NAV and RES but now I'm wondering if I should jump to the Touring. Then again that's more money, and we weren't planning on buying a brand new car anyway. We went looking for a used Sienna and in our test drive to rule out the '16 or '17 Odyssey we saw and fell in love with the '18 Odyssey. So convince me to stick with the EX-L or to go for the Touring! :)
 
#2 ·
It's a slippery slope because once you convince yourself to jump to the Touring, you realize the Elite is not much further away ;). When I bought my 2013 the deals were so good it was easy to get into an Elite, and I really liked having all the available features, so I went for the same trim level with my new van.
 
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#4 ·
Elite power folding mirrors and cabin-talk feature that works over the speakers, not just the headphones.

Sit down with the factory option lists and a highlighter, the differences are enough to make you wish you'd done it right the first time.
 
#5 ·
We bought an EX. While we would have liked some of the other features, the price didn't justify how much we wanted it. Leather would have been nice, but not $3,500 nice. Cloth seats hold up just fine. Power tailgate and sunroof would have been nice, but definitely not something that was make or break for us. We'd rarely use the sunroof in Florida and how hard is it to open a trunk? The most useful feature on the next trim up would have been the two memory seat positions, but even that isn't really needed. Just takes a minute to make adjustments in the rare case we switch drivers.
 
#6 ·
The only specific items I sought on the Elite were really acoustic glass and ventilated seats. I could have gotten the sliding seats, powered hatch and rear-seat camera on lower levels, I think. The lane-keeping assist and adaptive cruise control are more useful than I realized, and I appreciated those as I drove 1100 miles in the first two days. They are less useful in the city, but nice on road trips. This is a first family car for a newborn baby.
 
#7 ·
We test drove an EX-L and while sitting in it, I must have asked "can it do this or that?" at least 5 times. Every answer was the same, "The Elite does". Salesperson finally said, "I guess we need to put you in an Elite!" Did I NEED all of the upgrades? No. But I was already having a hard time going from my "luxury" SUV to a "less cool" minivan as it stood, so anything I could do to make it as cool as possible was appealing. I didn't want to loose features. The electronic folding mirrors were a big factor for me and I could tell a big difference in the drive/ride between the EX-L and the Elite, which I think was a combo of the upgraded 19" tires and the 10-speed engine, which is only in the Touring and Elite.
 
#9 ·
We went with the exl res/nav. My brother bought the elite a few weeks before us.
After seeing the extra bells and whistles on his elite... they're super nice, but not necessary for us. I'd rather use the money I would've spent to upgrade on a vacation :)
To me, the sound systems sound the same, I'm clueless about transmission types, and all I wanted was leather and a button for the hatch. Also, like y'all, I wasn't planning to buy a new van... so the exl res/nav has made me over the moon super happy! And, bonus, my dealership had the green exl res/nav in stock, which I loved and bought.
Happy shopping.
 
#10 ·
We went with the Elite, as we keep vehicles for 10 years minimum before we upgrade. It doesn't make sense to get a new car without all the options to us. Over the span of 8-10 years, having the cost of those luxuries amortized doesn't amount to much.
 
#11 ·
EX-L with nav/res for me. Couldn't justify the huge increase in price for Touring or Elite to get the few features that actually mattered to me. Instead, I added these myself to my EX-L (hands-free tailgate, wireless charge pad, trailer hitch, splash guards).
 
#12 ·
U Decide. Not Else

No brainer that Elite is best but you have to spend lot of money.
I do not have extra money, so I booked EXL. also kids wanted to see videos so i have got option RES. when buying RES you have to pay for combo of NAV & RES. so i end up paying RES NAV on my EXL.

What most i missing here is LED headlight, Vaccum, Handsfree tailgate opener but for that i do not wish to pay $5K more.

for me best buy is EX trim if you really wanted to save money or go with Elite.
 
#13 ·
If you want leather go for an EXL. Anything else like say EXL with NAV/RES or Touring, better to go to Elite since there is not much price difference. For me the power folding mirror was important since I have to get the Odyssey through the 8 feet garage door. I haven't tried yet though. Also though it was not a consideration when I bought it but the 19" inch wheels of Elite look stylish. My minivan looks much better than the brand new SUV my neighbor got around the same time. Maybe it the new body line of the Odyssey or the Elite wheels or the exterior color. Not sure. Are you going to keep the van for a long time say 10 or 15 yrs? That could help make the decision too.
 
#17 ·
sonofagunk said:
Do people really think the Nav and dvd is worth it? It is already outdated tech, and my kids would prefer to play video games. The nav is nice, but that is what people were saying about tomtom/garmin a few years back.
Click to expand...
RES yes, if you have any kids that are under 4 years old it's a must have (I care less on Nav since that is included). I know you can buy Ipad and stuff but the kid doesn't want to hold on to it, and for long trip you have turn around and push the button for them to skip/next video. I guess it depends on the age of your kid and need.

I went with an ELITE trim since it's only $5k more over EXL-RES (expand it in the 8yrs of ownership which is about $625yr/$52 a month) and use every function that is on the ELITE.

Better sound system - I tested the EXL which I didn't like.
Bigger rim 19" - only on ELITE, which ride smoother from the EX-L i tested.
Honda 10 Transmissions - I trust Honda let's see it.
Folding mirrors - I use it daily
Parking sensors front and back - It's very useful parking in my garage, and use it daily.
Wireless chargers - I'm planning to get the new Iphone 8 OLED with wireless charger.
Kick to open the tailgate - I use that about once or twice a week when carrying my toddler and buying groceries. It has work every time for me.
LED headlight - It help me drive at night and looks good during the day.
ETC............- Once you go Elite you never want to go back.

So I guess if you use the features go for the highest trim and call it a day.
 
#18 ·
Touring has idle stop which can't be permanently turned off. EXL has the crappy 9 speed. Pick your poison.
 
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Discussion starter · #20 ·
supert said:
RES yes, if you have any kids that are under 4 years old it's a must have (I care less on Nav since that is included). I know you can buy Ipad and stuff but the kid doesn't want to hold on to it, and for long trip you have turn around and push the button for them to skip/next video. I guess it depends on the age of your kid and need.

I went with an ELITE trim since it's only $5k more over EXL-RES (expand it in the 8yrs of ownership which is about $625yr/$52 a month) and use every function that is on the ELITE.

Better sound system - I tested the EXL which I didn't like.
Bigger rim 19" - only on ELITE, which ride smoother from the EX-L i tested.
Honda 10 Transmissions - I trust Honda let's see it.
Folding mirrors - I use it daily
Parking sensors front and back - It's very useful parking in my garage, and use it daily.
Wireless chargers - I'm planning to get the new Iphone 8 OLED with wireless charger.
Kick to open the tailgate - I use that about once or twice a week when carrying my toddler and buying groceries. It has work every time for me.
LED headlight - It help me drive at night and looks good during the day.
ETC............- Once you go Elite you never want to go back.

So I guess if you use the features go for the highest trim and call it a day.
Click to expand...
How did you get it for only $5k above EX-L with NAV and RES? MSRP for the EX-L with NAV and RES is $40k and Elite is $47k. If I could get an Elite at a Touring price that would be fantastic!
 
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